Yandrisevits Challenges Oakes To Stop Putting Posters On Poles

June 17, 1986|by SONIA CSENCSITS, The Morning Call

Frank Yandrisevits, Democratic candidate for re-election to the 138th District state House seat, has called for his opponent, Republican Jim Oakes, to agree not to place campaign posters on public property.

Yandrisevits also chided Oakes for Oakes posters that still remain on poles in the district.

But Oakes has refused to agree, saying he feels it is the voters' right to be informed about candidates and that posters are one way to accomplish this.

And he scolded Yandrisevits for a poster he said is still on a Klecknersville pole two years after the 1984 election, noting his posters are placed on poles with tape, while Yandrisevits's poster has as many as 20 staples in it.

Oakes said he would look into state regulations that require written permission from pole owners and property owners when such posters are installed, and said of future placement of posters: "If I can legally do it, I'll do it."

Oakes said he has contacted the municipalities in which his posters were installed and learned there are no local prohibitions. Oakes said his posters would be removed by June 20, 30 days after the May 20 primary election.

Yandrisevits, who is in his first term, wrote to Oakes "concerning an issue in which you have on occasion professed to have a interest. I am referring to the litter problem . . . ." Yandrisevits said he has read of Oakes's promises "to do all in your power to alleviate this problem."

"Because of your self-proclaimed love of the environment, you can imagine my surprise when I noticed that campaign posters bearing your name began appearing indiscriminately on traffic light poles throughout my district several days before the May 20 primary election. Since it is now well over three weeks since the election, I can only assume that it is the intention of whoever posted the signs to have them remain in place until they weather and fall down. At that point, they most certainly will contribute to the litter problem."

The letter continues, "Since you and I have both in the past publicly stated our concern for a clean environment, I believe that our actions in the upcoming campaign should demonstrate that concern. Therefore, I am proposing that we agree to refrain from placing campaign material on public utility poles, traffic light poles and along roadways in the public right-of-way."

Oakes characterized the letter as "nitpicking."

"He expects me to cooperate," Oakes said, "but the letter he sent is antagonistic." He objected to Yandrisevits's use of "my district" in the letter, stating that, because Yandrisevits won the last election - in which he also faced Oakes - by 33 votes, he has "no mandate."